Nurses at UPMC Altoona who are members of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania voted by 91% to approve a new union contract with the hospital that includes major investments in recruitment and retention to ensure safe staffing and quality patient care. The contract comes after three months of negotiations during which the 500 nurses held large actions with community supporters, culminating in a “Candlelight Vigil for Safety” after a coworker was violently attacked in the ER. Nurses reached a tentative agreement late on Jan. 9, held a ratification vote on Jan. 15, and ballots were counted late that night. Nurses are thanking their community for the outpouring of support and hailing the contract as a vitally important step forward in addressing understaffing and turnover at the hospital.
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